So….
Apologies for no updates for 2019 at all
I constantly forgot to write posts about my cooks or take picture of finished things because essentially every cook was a dinner party and hungry people don’t want you to stand there and take pictures.
2020 has started the same way. I had a big cook on the 25th Jan with pork butt, 3 racks of ribs, fried chicken (yep, fried, on the bbq) and 2 briskets due to size and weights
I also learnt a lot in 2019 until now
I learnt not to buy 2 smaller briskets because the butcher didn’t have one big enough for me on the day. The cook for that was really interesting, 1 of them had no stall at all and cooked in around 4 hours so I had it wrapped and in a cool box for around 9 hours before serving. The second one cooked in 7 hours so less time in the cool box but more than I would have liked. Reheated both in the smoker for around 30mins and they were still really good and moist but would have preferred not cook like that.
I also learned how to cook brisket and pork butt by the hot and fast method by over sleeping my alarm by 3 hours on another cook.
Was very stressed the entire day but the food turned out amazing and feed around 25 people that day so was again really pleased.
I purchased some new items, hence how I did fried chicken (Dutch oven on Weber MasterTouch). I need to tweak the coating mix as it was too salty but still very good.
I have upped my rotisserie game and bought the Weber one to replace the Jumbuck so as to be able to cover things. I did a whole rotisserie chicken as a test cook where I would normally spatchcock one and was very happy with the results.
I’m learning that, yes, I can cook just not in the same way as most people as it’s not in the oven.
I’ve learnt you can never have too much Blues Hog sauce.
I’ve fallen in love with Sam the Cooking Guy.
There has been other things happen too
I’ve joined KCBS and later this year I am taking a judging course. I won’t be joining in and being a competitor as I just don’t have it in me but I still want to experience competitions and judging is a great way to do it
I attended the first Fire Cook of The Year in 2019 and was a judge too.
I are things I wouldn’t normally and actually liked some of them (including white aubergine – have I had it since…..no).
This was a great event and I am looking forward to the 2020 event where I am judging again.
I will be attending the first, UK, Brisket King event.
I also look forward to becoming a KCBS judge at Smoke on Quiet Waters in September.
And the biggest thing?
In the next 12 months I will no longer be able to enjoy bbq in the same way I do now. Why? I am an overweight male who has tried diets and some exercise and cannot loose weight and so I will be having gastric bypass surgery.
Does this mean I will be giving up bbq? Hell no! I don’t cook for me, I cook because I enjoy being the host of the party, feeding my guests and seeing them happy and full so even if I can’t eat in the same way any more I won’t be giving up this wonderful, expensive, delicious hobby.
I also plan to make my cooks into recipes, not because I want a cook book or to say mine is the best but just to document how I am cooking better and also let you guys try what I am cooking too.
You will already see on the right hand side the recipe category. Baked Mac and Cheese is a test and not my own but shows you what I can do as a start.
2020 holds big things. Hopefully I will remember to share it with you